GREGORY DEBES

Via Latin Gregorius from the post-classical Greek name Gregōrios ‘watchful’ (a derivative of gregōrein ‘to watch, be vigilant’). The name was a very popular one among the early Christians, who were mindful of the injunction ‘be sober, be vigilant’ (1 Peter 5:8). It was borne by a number of early saints. The most important, in honour of whom the name was often bestowed from medieval times onwards, were Gregory of Nazianzen (c.329–90), Gregory of Nyssa (d. c.395), Gregory of Tours (538–94), and Pope Gregory the Great (c.540–604). A famous bearer of the name in modern times is the film star Gregory Peck (1916–2003). The name has traditionally been popular in Scotland, where it is often found in the form Gregor.

French (Debès): topographic name from Church Latin bettiu ‘birch tree’, ‘birch wood’ (from Gaulish betu), or a habitational name from any of the places named with this word, of which there are examples in Dordogne, Isère, and Puy-de-Dôme.